


I'm Dealing With The Things That I've Been

by lzrd



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Amnesia, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Navigating Around Your Roomate's Mindwipe, Post-Invisible Hand of Fate, Prosthesis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-25
Updated: 2014-11-25
Packaged: 2018-02-26 22:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2669291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lzrd/pseuds/lzrd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Conversations in the Quizboy-White household are sometimes difficult. Sometimes they aren't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Dealing With The Things That I've Been

**Author's Note:**

> it finally started snowing where i live so of course i gotta write about two dorks living in a tin can in the middlea the desert
> 
> title's from cool scene by the dandy warhols
> 
> i almost accidentally deleted this version 'cause i'm a clot but chrome saved my gross soul amen
> 
> edited for formatting fuckup, my bad

"Hey Billy," says Pete, his head tilted back against the arm of the couch. He's lounging in his boxers, and the way he's got his head angled makes his adam's apple jut out in a way that makes it look like someone snapped his neck.

  
"Yeah Pete?" Billy's still in his pajamas too. He's been thinking about changing into day clothes for a couple of hours now but he still hasn't gotten up from the couch.

  
"How's your hand?" As Pete says it he tenses up, like he's waiting for something.

  
"Oh, it's fine. Soldering iron burns always look-"

  
"No, I mean, your other hand."

  
At this Billy looks away from whatever staticky all-access cable show he's managed to coax from the decrepit cable dish. "Uh, it's alright."

He flexes the hand in question a couple times experimentally and narrows his eyes suspiciously at Pete. "Why?"

  
There's a pause while he figures out what to say and then Pete tries, nervously- "Can't a guy just-"

  
Billy cuts him off this time. "You didn't do anything weird to it while I was sleeping again did you?"

  
Pete lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

  
"Nope not this time, buddy. Promise!"

  
"Yeah you said that last time too."

  
Sometime in the conversation Pete's sat up, and that means he sees the tremor that runs through Billy's prosthetic. ' _Oh shit it's happening again_ ' thinks Pete, struggling to kick his slacking brain into action. "Your hand-- No wait-- Look at me!!"

  
' _It's not like I have a choice_ ' Billy thinks, bemused. He's not wrong, in an attempt to distract him from thinking too hard about his hand and accidentally destroy the mindwipe the OSI put on him, Pete has thrown himself across the tiny couch they're sharing to kneel over him. Getting way into his personal space in the process. "What are you d--"

  
"I--uh, dunno, uh but pay attention to me, fella. For a sec." Pete internally winces when he hears his own voice crack but Billy stops trying to jab Pete in the armpit when he hears it so he counts it as a win.

  
Billy calms down enough to realize his eyes have adjusted to the proximity they're in. He's close enough that he can count the acne scars on Pete's cheeks.

  
Pete can tell something's up when he sees Billy's eyes lock onto his face with the sort of single-minded intensity he reserves for super-geniousing and cleaning out the fridge. He tenses up out of habit.

  
There are several seconds of Pete running his mouth but not saying anything while he tries to come up with a plausible-sounding explanation. He doesn't get very far.

  
A strange anticipation sweeps over Billy in that moment. In the next moment he knows that whatever has gone wrong with his prosthetic has infected its fleshy counterpart as he watches them both come up to twist tightly in Pete's stained T-shirt to pull him closer, closer, closer...

  
The kiss is brief and awkward. Partially because the position Billy's in doesn't afford him much leverage, and partially because Pete is still flinching back, expecting to be on the receiving end of a well placed headbutt. What's going on finally registers in Pete's brain and he kisses back with interest.

  
When they break apart it's Billy's turn to stammer uselessly, trying to apologize and defend himself at the same time. His babbling pauses as Pete flops back into his side of the couch, because he uses his momentum to pull Billy with him, and onto his chest. He tries to start again but Pete's mouth on his derails his train of thought.

"Don't ruin it Billy."

Billy stops talking.


End file.
